Bible Study

The Gift of Eternal Life Berean Bible Study Course

Part IV--The Family Of God / The Body Of Christ

A. Lesson 19--The Nature Of Christ's Body

6. READ: COLOSSIANS 3:1-17

c. Who are holy and dearly loved?

Answer: God's chosen people are holy and dearly loved, (verse 12).

MORE INFORMATION AND/OR OTHER SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:

• Said of Israel:

  Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2; 20:7-8; 20:26: [God said,] "I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves about on the ground. I am the Lord Who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy...Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: 'Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy'...Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the Lord your God. Keep My decrees and follow them. I am the Lord, Who makes you holy...You are to be holy to Me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be My Own."

  Deuteronomy 7:6: [God said,] "For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be His people, His treasured possession."

  Deuteronomy 28:9-10: [God said,] "The Lord will establish you as His holy people, as He promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the Lord your God and walk in His Ways. Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the Name of the Lord, and they will fear you."

• Said of God's children, the people of God:

  Ephesians 5:1-2: "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

  1 Peter 1:14-15: "As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He Who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'"

  1 Peter 2:9-10: "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him Who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."

  2 Peter 3:11-12a: "Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming..."